Random thoughts from a few cantankerous American physicians. All contributors are board certified. Various specialties are represented here. I do not know where this will lead but hope it will at least be an enjoyable read. All of the names mentioned in this blog are pseudonyms, the ages have been changed, and in half the cases the gender as well. All photographs are published with patient consent or are digitally altered to preserve anonymity. Trust us, we're doctors.

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Thursday, February 22, 2007

Got called up to the CCU the other night to run a code. The patient sure looked dead when I got there, blue, mottled, CPR in progress, PEA on the monitor, and we had an arterial line in so we knew the pressure was zero.

Went through the usually worthless PEA/Asystole protocol and brought in the ultrasound machine. The heart really wasn't moving. Tried pacing and what the hell, I threw in some Calcium Chloride just in case she was hyperkalemic. Whammo! Pulse, and pressure return. Wow. Three of her doctors were at the bedside and we all went, ''Wow.'' She was in acute renal failure.

Two hours later, code in the CCU. Same patient, different result. The other doctors had absconded the facility which left me to talk with the family. Lovely.